Annunciator torque tool



June 19, 1951 A. J. SAVOY ANNUNCIATOR TORQUE TOOL.

Filed Oct. 15, 1947 AISWY rnnunnuuuun g I Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE ANNUNCIATOR TORQUE TOOL Albert J. Savoy, Attleboro, Mass.

Application October 15, 1947, Serial No. 780,031

8 Claims. (01. 73139) This invention relates to a torque tool of the type which will register the force applied and which will release at a predetermined point and ive some audible indication that such release has been made.

Heretofore there have been provided torque wrenches of this general character, but these are of a complicated structure and are relatively expensive to manufacture. Further, in many instances where there is some sort of an annunciator, so that at a predetermined point a signal will be had, there is no indicator that the pressure applied may be visibly shown.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an extremely simple torque tool which will be inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of this invention is to provide a torque tool which in addition to having an annunciator therein will also have a visible indication of the force applied.

Another object of this invention is to provide a torque tool in which the point at which the annunciator operates may be varied that the predetermined value may be easily had.

Another object of this invention is to provide the annunciator in a very simple manner by the striking of two parts together.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the torque tool which is the subject of this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmental sectional view illustrating the moving parts thereof and with the cover plate removed. In this figure the pointer and portions of its actuating mechanism are omitted for the sake of clarity.

Figure 3 is a fragmental sectional detail view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the pointer and its actuating mechanism in position.

Figure 4 is a detailed view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, of the swinging pointer which indicates the pressure which is applied.

In proceeding with this invention, I recess a solid bar which forms an arm extending from the work-engaging end of the wrench, and in this recess I pivotally mount a member having a han dle at one end and restrict the other end by a guided plunger, the plunger being pressed into engagement with the member, and the surfaces of the plunger and the member being such that there is a camming action between them, so that when sufficient pressure is applied the plunger will slide, and the end of the member released, so that it may snap into engagement with one of the walls of the recess and make an audible sound. In order that the amount of pressure may be varied when the plunger does operate, a spring is provided which presses the plunger, and the pressure on this spring may be nicely adjusted by a nut and screw.

With reference to the drawings, 10 designates an arm which is provided with a work-engaging portion H at one end. At the other end of the arm is provided a recess [2 which extends partially through the arm and presents opposite side walls l3, l3 as will be apparent in Figure 2. A plunger l 4 is slidably guided in this recess l2 and provided with a stem portion I5 guided in a bore it beyond the end of the recess l2 while a spring I! forces this plunger axially of the bore [6. The pressure on this spring may be varied by means of a threaded member I8 which is adjusted by a nut 19 held in a recess 26 in the arm 10. The head 2| of this threaded member serves as an abutment for the spring 11.

At the end distant from the work-engaging end of the arm, a member designated generally 22 is pivoted as at 23. This member is provided with a handle portion 24 at its outer end which extends beyond the end of the arm H]. Inwardly from this handle portion, the member is provided with a reduced portion 25 which is of such a size as to be spaced from the opposite walls l3 of the recess l2. This reduced portion 25 is rounded at its end 26 so as to fit in the recess 21 in the plunger M, the walls of which serve to cam against the rounded end 26 of this member so that when sufiicient pressure is applied to swing the member about its pivot 23 the camming action between the surfaces 26 and 2'! will serve to force the plunger l4 against the action of spring I! axially or lengthwise of the arm I0. When a sufficient pressure is applied to cause release of these surfaces, the end 26 will strike against one of the walls l3, depending upon the direction of movement, with an audible click or bang, so that the person using the wrench will know that the limit of the pressure which is to be exerted upon the work has been reached. 111- asmuch as these cam surfaces 2? are provided on both sides of the curved surface 25 a movement about the pivot in either direction for right or left hand threads is provided for.

If it is desired that a greater or lesser pressure be required in order to provide this release or audible sound, then the nut l9 will be adjusted accordingly.

In order to indicate the pressure which is being applied, a scale 30 is provided along the cover plate 3| which extends over the recess and houses the various parts.

This cover plate is held in position by means of screws 33 at one end and 34 at the other end. A pointer designated generally 35 is pivoted on the under surface of the plate 3| as at 36, while its end 3'! extends up through the slot 38 in the plate so as to move over the graduated edge 30 of the plate.

In order to connect the pointer 35 and the reduced portion 25 of the movable member 22, I provide a link 39 which is pivoted as at 40 on the reduced portion 25 of this member 22. This link has a bifurcated end M to engage the curved end 42 of the pointer while its other end 43 is curved and engages a plate 44 which is secured or pivoted as at 45 to the plunger. Thus as the portion 25 of the member swings, it moves the pivot 40 which in turn swings the link 39 so as to swing the pointer 35 over the dial. When the pressure on the member 22, which swings it about its pivot, is released the link 39 will be returned to centralized position by the plunger l4 carrying plate 44 so as to move by reason of its V surfaces 46 the link back into centralized position.

In order that the pointer 35 may be moved into centralized position, an independent spring 41, which is shown in Figure 4, is provided for this purpose. This spring will be held in a recess 43 in the under side of the cover plate by a plug 49 into which the end of the spring extends and will apply pressure on the pointer to swing it about its pivot.

I claim:

1. A torque tool comprising an arm having work-engaging means at one end thereof, a member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the other end of said arm and having a portion extending in overlapping relation to said arm for movement relative thereto and a handle for applying a force on said member, said overlapping portion being laterally resilient whereby it can flex in proportion to the magnitude of the force applied to the handle, a spring-biased plunger on said arm for engaging the end of said overlapping portion for opposing the swinging movement of said member about its pivot, the engaging surfaces of said plunger and member providing a camming action so that the plunger will be moved against the action of its spring to release the member and permit it to swing about said pivot when a predetermined force is applied on said handle, a pivotally mounted pointer carried by said arm and means operatively connecting said member and said pointer to move said pointer to give an indication of the pressure applied to said handle.

2. A torque tool comprising an arm having work-engaging means at one end thereof, a member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the other end of said arm and having a portion extending in overlapping relation to said arm for movement relative thereto and a handle for applying a force on said member, said overlapping portion being laterally resilient whereby it can flex in proportion to the magnitude of the force applied to the handle, a spring-biased plunger on said arm for engaging the end of said overlapping portion for opposing the swinging movement of said member about its pivot, the engaging surfaces of said plunger and member providing a camming action so that the plunger will be moved against the action of its spring to release the member and permit it to swing about said pivot when a predetermined force is applied on said handle, a pivotally mounted pointer carried by said arm and a link connecting said member and said pointer to move said pointer to give an indication of the pressure applied to said handle.

3. A torque tool comprising an arm having work-engaging means at one end thereof, a member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the other end of said arm and having a portion extending in overlapping relation to said arm for movement relative thereto and a handle for applying a force on said member, said overlapping portion being laterally resilient whereby it can flex in proportion to the magnitude of the force applied to the handle, a, spring-biased plunger on said arm for engaging the end of said overlapping portion for opposing the swinging movement of said member about its pivot, the engaging surfaces of said plunger and member providing a camming action so that the plunger will be moved against the action of its spring to release the member and permit it to swing about said pivot when a predetermined force is applied on said handle, a pivotally mounted pointer carried by said arm, a link connecting said member and said pointer to move said pointer to give an indication of the pressure applied to said handle and means carried by said plunger and engaging said link for returning the same to initial position.

4'. A torque tool comprising an arm having work-engaging means at one end thereof, a member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the other end of said arm and having a portion extending in overlapping relation to said arm for movement relative thereto and a handle for applying a force on said member, said overlapping portion being laterally resilient whereby it can flex in proportion to the magnitude of the force applied to the handle, a spring-biased plunger on said arm for engaging the end of said overlapping portion for opposing the swinging movement of said member about its pivot, the engaging surfaces of said plunger and member providing a camming action so that the plunger will be moved against the action of its spring to release the member and permit it to swing about said pivot when a predetermined force is applied on said handle, a scale attached to said arm and having graduations thereon, a pointer pivotally mounted on said arm and extending over said graduations and a link pivotally mounted on said member and operatively connecting said member and pointer to move said pointer over said gradu ations to give an indication of the pressure applied to said handle. I

5. A torque tool comprising an arm having work-engaging means at one'end thereof, a member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the other end of said arm and having a portion extending in overlapping relation to said arm for movement relative thereto and a handle for applying a force on said member, a wall on said arm spaced from said member and in the path of movement of said member when swung about its pivot, a spring-biased, slidably mounted plunger for engaging the end of said member and holding said member against swing movement thereof about its pivot and movable by said member against the action of its spring to release the memberand permit it to swing about said pivot to strike said wall to produce a signal when a predetermined force is applied on said handle, said member being laterally resilient whereby it can flex in proportion to the magnitude of the force applied to the handle, a pointer pivotally carried by said arm and means operatively connecting said member and said pointer to move said pointer to give an indication of the pressure applied to said handle.

6. A torque tool as set forth in claim 5 wherein the engaging surfaces of said plunger and said member provide a camming action arranged so that the plunger will be moved against the action of its spring in a manner to permit a sudden release of said member and permit to to swing on its pivot when said predetermined force is applied to said handle.

7. A torque tool as set forth in claim 5 wherein said means comprises a link pivotally mounted on said member for movement therewith and relative thereto and having one end portion thereof extending into engagement with said pointer and the other end thereof held against movement with said member to cause said link to swing about its pivot to move said pointer upon the flexing of said member to give an indication of the pressure applied to said handle.

8. A torque tool as set forth in claim 5 wherein said means comprises a link pivotally mounted on said member for movement therewith and relative thereto, and further comprising an abutment carried by said plunger and engageable by the other end of said link for holding said end against movement with said member to swing said link about its pivot to move said pointer upon the flexing of said member to give a visible indication of the pressure applied to said handle.

ALBERT J. SAVOY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,814,544 Cairncross et a1 July 14, 1931 1,847,640 Cairncross et a1. Mar. 1, 1932 1,860,871 Pouliot May 31, 1932 2,225,420 Mandl Dec. 17, 1940 2,385,591 Sturtevant Sept. 25, 1945 

